With the continuous escalations in criminal activities among employees and cases of identity theft, employers are becoming increasingly cautious about the employees that they choose to hire. Many employers will check references and will use them to verify previous work experience. However, employment reference checks do not guard against stolen identities. More extensive methods, such as background checks, have proven to be very effective in verifying the identities and backgrounds of job applicants.

Some employers are particularly concerned with verifying names and contact information on applications. These employers may start by searching through local telephone directories or by using directory assistance for verification. For unlisted candidates, online criss-cross directories are available where this information may be present. Some employers will choose to run identity checks with screening services to obtain the name, home phone number, date of birth, social security number, and address of each applicant. When more extensive information is needed for applicants, background checks may be accessed instead.

Accessing Background Checks by Name

Background checks can be accessed if employers can present screening companies with certain types of information. Since duplicate names can present problems with background checks, most companies will require that employers submit more information than just the names of applicants. Additional information may include social security numbers, phone numbers, addresses, or birth dates. When employers can present more information about individuals, especially the social security number, they will be more likely to receive accurate results in their screening reports.

Identity checks and criminal checks are more easily accessed by name than background checks. This may be because these reports find their information in public records as opposed to private records from different databases. When employers simply want to verify identity, identity checks are a great alternative to comprehensive background checks. Criminal checks can also be useful because they will show whether or not applicants have been truthful about their criminal history on their applications.